Breathe In Breathe Out
by AgeyoPanda
Summary: Yugi's sick with asthma, which brings out rare sides of Yami. But most of all, he's worried sick. He wants to make sure that Yugi follows doctor's orders and takes it easy. Not only that, but Yami takes this time to learn a bit more of modern medicine and about Yugi's condition, showing off his rare curiosity. Its a bonding moment for the pair. *Asthmatic!Yugi Puzzleshipping*


**I need stop getting ideas for ygo omg**

 **I wrote Asthmatic Yugi why...? I don't know if this is some headcanon or the start of some AU but I'm gonna run with it.**

 **I guess I came up with this because I have asthma so...**

 **Anyway, please don't mind any mistakes I might have missed!**

* * *

It was a cold December night when Yami started to get tired of hearing Yugi cough. He decided it was time for him to come out of the Puzzle. He stood, his arms crossed. He looked down at Yugi, who was too busy with homework to even notice Yami's presence, "Partner," he started, watching as Yugi picked his head up, turning around in his seat.

"What is it?" The teen asked, internally rolling his eyes at the wheeze that left his lungs.

Yami's heart tore. While he was frustrated with Yugi at the moment, he still hated to hear his Partner struggle to breathe, "Inhalers, now."

Yugi let out a sigh, "I'm fine, Other Me."

Yami cocked an eyebrow, "Really now?"

Yugi's shoulders slumped down, "Okay, fine." He reached for the two inhalers that sat on his desk. After finding out about Yugi being asthmatic, Yami started to notice how Yugi always kept two inhalers on his desk, and two in his bag for school.

Yami watched as Yugi inhaled two puffs from both inhalers. He blinked a few times before picking one up from the desk, "Modern medicine is something else," he mused, "I bet Ancient Egypt never had anything that can compare to this."

Yugi took a deep breath, hoping the medicine would kick in fairly quickly, "Still impressed by so much, aren't you?"

Yami returned the inhaler back to its usual spot, "After the darkness being my only friend, it's amazing seeing how many things are new to me."

Yugi looked down, "I wonder how long it'll take until we have to part."

Yami looked at his partner, "You don't have to wonder. We'll worry about that when the time comes."

* * *

Yami sat on the bed, concern in his eyes. Yugi woke up with problems again. Five minutes had passed and his inhalers weren't kicking in. He watched as Yugi moved about his room, getting his things for school. Yami frowned as Yugi coughed, with a wheeze following, "Partner, maybe school isn't a good idea today."

Yugi shook his head, "I'll be fine."

Yami stood, "Nope. You know that I know you're just putting up with it."

Yugi stopped, "No I'm not."

Yami rolled his eyes, "It feels like you have a pile of bricks on your chest, doesn't it?"

Yugi sighed, rolling his eyes at the wheezing sound it made, "Yeah…"

Yami's features softened, "Partner, you know I'm just worried, right?"

Yugi nodded, "I know."

"Yugi! You're going to be late!"

Yugi's head picked up at his grandfather's voice. He looked over to Yami, who shot him a look. Yugi sighed, leaving his room to tell his grandfather of his condition.

* * *

"Well Yugi," the doctor started, walking back into the examination room, "it's a good thing your grandfather brought you in when he did. The results of the Pulmonary Test read that your lungs are only working at 27%. Any longer without coming in and your system would have shut down, leading you right to the hospital." The doctor gave a small smile when he noticed Yugi's shoulders had slumped down, "Also, you best friend bronchitis is back."

Yugi sighed, "Great."

The doctor turned to Sugoroku, "Make sure your grandson makes best friends with his nebulizer. Three times a day. One time in the morning, afternoon and at night. Inhalers as needed. I want to get his lungs stronger, especially since winter is the worst for asthmatics."

Yugi's grandfather nodded, "Of course."

* * *

Thankfully it was Friday. Thankfully Yugi only had to lug his nebulizer to school once. Or as he called it, "The dinosaur", considering how old it was. He rolled his eyes, walking to school, trying not to drop the outdated machine.

Suddenly, he felt his arm being lifted and the heavy weight leaving his hand. He looked next to him, his mouth twisting in a smile, "Jounouchi!"

Jounouchi gave him a thumbs up, "I've got it from here pal."

Yugi was thankful that Jounouchi showed up when he did. Yugi was sure he was going to get an attack just by carrying that thing. Jounouchi had gone with Yugi to drop the nebulizer off with the nurse before heading into class.

* * *

During lunch, Yugi quietly opened the door to the nurse's office, wanting to get this over with, "Hello." He called out, getting the attention of the school nurse.

She smiled at Yugi, "Hello there, Yugi." She pointed to a bed next to an outlet, "Everything is all set up for you. Just close the curtain if you need some privacy."

After giving her his thanks, he walked behind the curtain, turning to make sure it was closed enough. With a sigh, he sat on the bed, picking up the mouthpiece by the T-piece, looking at the liquid in the reservoir. With a sigh, he turned on the machine, sticking the mouthpiece inside his mouth.

Yami decided to make himself visible, sitting next to Yugi on the bed. He placed a hand over his partner's. He knew that Yugi didn't enjoy this. Many times, he'd stick to his inhalers when he could. However, this was one situation where that was avoidable. Yami looked at the tube at the other side of the T-piece. That morning, Yami had asked the point of that certain part of the mouthpiece. Yugi answered his question with a shrug, saying he didn't know either.

Yami stood, walking in front of Yugi. Yugi watched him curiosity in his eyes. Yami looked back him, matching his partner's curiosity. Yugi knew that look. Yami often got that look when he was faced with something he didn't understand. Seeing Yami anything but brave and prideful was treat and he noticed Yami usually brought out his other emotions when it was mostly just them together.

Yami knelt down in front of the current subject of his curiosity. Yugi couldn't help it at that moment. He inhaled the medicine, making sure to exhale with much more power than usual. Yami swatted at the mist that attacked his face. Yugi giggled at the reaction he received. Yami shot him a look, in which Yugi just gave him an innocent shrug. Yami rolled his eyes at Yugi's antics, but he couldn't fight the small smile that made its way on his face.

He quickly learned upon examination that the tube could be bent in any way he wanted. So, he took the tube while being careful to not disrupt Yugi, he bent the tube upwards, watching at the mist started to flow up. Yugi let out a soft giggle as he watched Yami. Despite looking serious most of the time, Yugi loved to see Yami's other sides come out and this moment was no different.

Yami gave him a look that said 'stop laughing at me, Partner'. He pulled the tube back down to its original position. It was then that he noticed the pause in between Yugi's inhaling and exhaling was shorter than usual. Yami looked at him, silently telling him to properly inhale the medicine. Yugi rolled his eyes, getting the hint.

After a few more seconds of trying to understand the nebulizer, he returned to his spot next to Yugi. He placed his hand back over Yugi's, intertwining his fingers with Yugi's. After a while, Yugi leaned his head on Yami's shoulder, closing his eyes. Yami smiled down at his partner, letting out a content sigh.

A few more minutes passed until a spurting sound reached their ears, indicating that the medicine was close to being finished. However, this was also the part when Yugi tried to sneak turning off the machine. He was close to hitting the power switch until a hand gently swatted him way. He flashed a look to Yami, who was shaking his head. Yugi sighed, continuing on until no more mist flew out of the tube.

Next, came the energy Yugi's medicine brought him. Yami watched him as he sat in class, unable to keep his hands still. Which would have been fine if wasn't for the fact that Jounouchi kept encouraging Yugi's energy.

Yami just hoped Yugi didn't let out that laugh that he was holding in.

* * *

Later that night was when everything was catching up with Yugi. It was before dinner that Yugi was stuck with his nebulizer again. The usual energy was there, but Yugi was too tired to act on it.

Yugi laid on his bed, sleep threatening to show itself. He gave a small yawn, turning on his side, curling up in a ball. Yami sat at Yugi's desk, quietly flipping through Yugi's history textbook. Yami didn't want to retreat back into the Puzzle until he was sure that Yugi was fast asleep. Yugi watched as Yami read over a chapter on Ancient Egypt. Yugi noticed how Yami took a liking to Yugi's lessons. He noticed how he would sometimes listen in on lectures during class or how he would bury his nose in Yugi's textbooks. He soon noticed that Yami enjoyed history and anything with science (mostly biology and astronomy) the most.

Just one little cough from Yugi was enough for Yami to jump to his feet to check on the teen. Yugi just gave him a tired smile, saying he'd use his inhalers if he needed them. Yugi watched as Yami just nodded, sitting back at the desk. Before he dug his nose back in the book, he stole one more glance at Yugi.

"You know, that makes me wonder." Yami mused, expecting no answer from his partner, expecting him to be fast asleep by now.

"What does?" Yugi asked, a yawn leaving his mouth.

Yami gave him a small smile, "I thought you were asleep."

Yugi shook his head, "Not yet. But what makes you wonder?"

"The fact that they removed the organs, leaving the heart during the mummification process. Just the whole process alone makes me wonder, actually. I mean, I am just a spirit, so does that mean my own body is in its own tomb?"

Yugi couldn't help but shutter at the thought, "Okay, once we get your memories, we are leaving that part out."

"I wouldn't remember it anyway."

"Yeah, but…" Yugi stopped, coming at a loss of words. Yami had a point. Yugi rolled his eyes, "Oh whatever." He added, pulling the covers higher.

Yami marked the page he was just reading before he closed the book. He stood and sat on the bed, careful not to move Yugi in the process, "Hey Partner, can I ask you something?"

Yugi nodded, "Of course."

Yami looked back down at Yugi, noticing how sleepy he was. Yami decided to keep this fast, "I know you don't like having to be stuck on the machine so much, but can I ask why?"

Yugi sighed, "It's embarrassing."

Yami furrowed his brows, "Why would it be embarrassing? It's something you need."

Yugi didn't fight the somber smile that made its way on his face, "When I was younger, it was really bad. There were many times when I had to go to the nurse for a treatment like today. I guess that's one reason why I like games so much. Of course growing up here was a major factor in that, but since I would get sick with asthma a lot when I was a kid, I just had games to occupy my time while the others had their friends. I couldn't play as much or else I'd have a fit," Yugi let out a sigh before continuing, "Sometimes, the other kids would see me and asking never ending questions about it. Of course they didn't know, but I was always seen as the kid who couldn't do so much because I always sick. Eventually, the others just left me out."

Yami's heart sank at hearing Yugi's story. How could people be so mean? Sure, they were just kids at the time, but even then they should have understood that Yugi needed his treatments or else he could get worse.

"That's why I was so thankful when Jounouchi took the machine from me today. Sure, the others don't judge, but Jounouchi always helped me out when I needed it, especially when it came to my asthma. You know why else I don't like the treatments?"

"Why?"

Yugi didn't say anything for a while. Finally, he let out a breath, ignoring the wheeze that came with it, "It's scary. Yami, my lungs almost shut down," Yugi finally sat up, "I was so close to landing in a hospital. Who knows what else can happen." Yugi felt the tears threatening to fall but he didn't bother fighting them, "Every time my asthma acts up, I can't help but get scared."

Yami scooted closer to Yugi, wrapping his arms around him, "Its okay, Yugi. You're doing everything right. You're getting your treatments when you need them and you're getting older. Who knows, you might grow out of it."

"Yami, it's chronic, you don't know that for sure. I hear all these possibilities and it just makes me scared." Yugi sobbed into Yami's chest, "I know it's gotten better, but there always that fear."

Yami rubbed Yugi's back, slowly rocking him back and forth, "You'll be okay, Partner."

Yugi didn't say anything, he just kept sobbing in Yami's arms. Yami's heart broke each time a coughing fit and wheezing left Yugi's lungs, mixing with his sobs. After a few more minutes, Yugi was able to stop crying, letting sleep show itself. He yawned, a wheeze following, "'halers," Yugi was too sleepy to ask properly.

Yami stood, grabbing the two inhalers for Yugi. Yugi took them, taking the two puffs from both. He handed them back to Yami, taking a deep breath.

Yami watched as Yugi curled back into a ball under the covers. A small yawn left his mouth again, he never bothered fighting the slumber that came over him.

Yami stole another glance at his partner, a small smile making its way on his face at the sight of the sleeping teen.

Yami was happy to know that Yugi made it through the night without an asthma attack.

* * *

 **Fun fact: That test Yugi had is basically him blowing out some candles on a screen.**


End file.
